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Solon seeks emergency broadband benefit package

SENATOR Sonny Angara has stressed the need for an emergency broadband benefit package to help students cope up with distance/online learning.

Many students will be benefited if an emergency broadband benefit package will be given in the Philippines like the $900 billion Coronavirus disease 2019 relief package of US President Donald Trump.

Under the relief bill, US government alloted $7 billion for broadband access of millions of students, their families, and also for unemployed workers in the middle of pandemic.

Angara said Philippine government must also consider same program and other programs that may help students specially those enrolled in public schools.

Since the pandemic, telecommunication companies reported that there is a surge of 500 percent in data usage.

Meanwhile the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) said the government should invest in broadband service in order for the Philippines to be included in the world class country when it comes to internet connectivity.

Initially the DICT needs P18 billion to implement the National Broadband Plan but under General Appropriations Act 2021, the budget was slashed to P956 million.